Kurtz Family Uncle Tony’s Mataro 2022 from the Barossa Valley is a rich, dense and fleshy old‑vine Mataro (Mourvèdre) off mid‑1950s plantings at Light Pass, made as a tribute to Uncle Tony and the variety’s savoury, soulful side. It’s a full‑bodied, character‑packed red with a rustic, old‑school Barossa charm wrapped in very smart winemaking polish.

In the glass it shows deep garnet colour with a rush of sweet, piquant spice – peppercorn, cardamom and star anise – followed by dark fruits of black cherry, blackberry, blood plum and dried plum, plus notes of liquorice, tar, black olive, fennel leaf and dark rose florals. The palate is all dark purple fruits, savoury earth and spice, carried on a firm yet fine backbone of structural tannins, subtle oak and a spine of acidity, finishing long and juicy with chewy, chocolatey tannins that lengthen but never overpower.

Uncle Tony’s Mataro 2022 is a delicious match with well‑spiced, smoked and charred foods – lamb kofta, cassoulet, paella, Argentinian T‑bone, five‑spice duck, sticky barbecued pork ribs or chargrilled vegetables all work a treat, as do hearty mushroom and lentil stews. It drinks well now with a decent decant but will gain leathery, gamey, spicy complexity over 6–10 years, rewarding anyone who tucks a few bottles away.